Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;effie&#39;

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant named ‘Effie’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with purple ray florets and yellow center and prolific branching; natural season flower date Augsut 11-15; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Effie’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor potmums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemumcultivars with a daisy type flower, a natural season flower date aroundAugust 11-15; blooming for a period of 5 weeks. The new plant of thepresent invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemumplant ‘Effie’ is a seedling resulting from the open pollination amonggroups of chrysanthemum cultivars maintained under the control of theinventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as one flowering plant by Mark Roland Boeder ona cultivated field in Rijsenhout Holland in August 2001. The plant hasbeen asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at RijsenhoutHolland. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom and foliage of the newcultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationChrysanthemum morifolium. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, Holland under naturalday length and temperature and planted in week 23 in 2002. The naturalblooming date of this crop was AUGUST 11-16 (week 33). The averageheight of the plants was 25 cms. No growth retardants were used. Notests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. Notests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety producesmedium sized blooms with purple ray florets and a yellow center bloomingfor a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarin comparison to ‘Effie’ is ‘Amphion’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,271). When‘Amphion’ and ‘Effie’ are being compared the following differences arenoticed: The differences of ‘Amphion’ and ‘Effie’ are (1) Flower size.Flower size of ‘Amphion’ is small, while that of ‘Effie’ is medium. (2)Number of ray-florets. The number of ray-florets of ‘Amphion’ is smallerthan that of ‘Effie’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Effie’ as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 1995. TABLE 1 Botanical Description of cultivar ‘Effie’ Bud SizeSmall; cross-section 0.7 cm, height 0.7 cm Outside Color Red-purple 70DInvolucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bractsamong disc-florets Not present Involucral bracts color Green 139C BloomType Daisy Size Medium Fully Expanded 4.5 cm Peduncle length 4 cmPeduncle color Green 139C Number of blooms per branch Approx. 7 bloomsper branch Performance on the plant 5 weeks Seeds Produced in smallquantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mm in length. Fragrance Typicalchrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of the flower Immature Red-purple70A Mature Yellow 13A Color of upper surface of the ray- Red-purple 70Aflorets Color of the lower surface of the Purple 78C ray-floretsTonality from Distance A garden mum with purple flowers and a yellowdisc Color of upper side ray-florets at Red-purple 70C aging of theplant Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 200-220Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of majority Reflexing Length ofcorolla tube 0.5 cm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 2.1 cmRay-floret width 0.6 cm Ratio length/width Medium Shape of tip RoundedDisc florets Disc diameter 1 cm Distribution of disc florets Numerous,clearly visible in mature stage Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 145CReceptacle shape Domed Raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Present in discflorets only Stamen color Yellow-green 144A Pollen Produced in largequantities Pollen color Yellow 7A Styles Thin Style color Yellow 13AStyle Length 3 mm Stigma color Yellow-green 144A Stigma Width 1 mmOvaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form A garden mum outdoor mounded andround Growth habit Spreading Growth rate Low Height 25 cm Width 26 cmStem Color Green 138B with streaks of Greyed-red 182C Stem StrengthMedium Stem Brittleness Brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration PresentInternode lenght 3.5 cm Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 18cm Lateral branch color Green 138B Lateral branch, attachmentIntermediate strenght Branching (average number of Good with 10 breaksafter lateral branches) pinching Natural season blooming date August11-15 Foliage Leaf color Upper side Yellow-green 147B Under sideYellow-green 148B Color midvein Upper side Green 139D Under sideYellow-green 148D Size Small; length 4 cm, width 3 cm Quantity (numberper lateral 18 branch) Shape Cordiform Texture upper side GlabrousTexture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of themargin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Between Rounded Lateral LobesMargin of Sinus Between Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape of Base ObtuseApex Mucronate Petiole length 1.5 cm Petiole color Green 139D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety ‘Effie’ ‘Amphion’ Flowersize 4.5 cm 3 cm Number of ray-florets 200 25

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.